Naturally cleaning without chemicals

… “Then it will still not properly clean!” – “Then it is not smell it out well!” – “This is far too complicated” … These and other prejudices get to hear when talking about the without brushing Chemistry or ecological cleaning speaks. Cleaning without swinging the chemical club is not only better for the environment and your wallet, it also cleans really well! Here are the eight best tips for anyone looking to do chemical-free spring cleaning this year …

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If you plan on cleaning in a sustainable and natural way , don’t worry about grandiose philosophical thoughts. Roughly speaking, you only need to follow three principles :

Mechanical is better than chemical!
Trust in the (cleaning forces of) nature!
It is better to clean odorless than just covered with fragrances!

In order to drastically reduce the number of chemical cleaners and self-proclaimed “miracle cures” in your household, bear in mind that, strictly speaking, only three substances are needed to clean the entire home:

Surfactants – they dissolve fat, so they are mainly used for washing up and cleaning kitchens. They are contained in all detergents or neutral detergents.
Acids – to remove limescale residues and stains of all kinds. Here, acetic and citric acids are the most natural agents of choice.
An all-purpose cleaner for bathroom cleaning or floor care. This can be easily made from baking soda, curd soap, a little lemon juice and water, free of all artificial perfumes.

This also applies to the following topics:

Cleaning the toilet without chemicals
Cleaning windows without chemicals
Cleaning the bathroom without chemicals
Tile floors clean home remedies

1. How do I make cleaners myself?

Make all-purpose cleaners yourself, make cleaning agents yourself … For a good, environmentally friendly and especially inexpensive all-purpose cleaner you only need the following ingredients:

For 250 ml of detergent , 1 teaspoon of baking soda is sufficient ,
1 teaspoon of grated curd soap (available in every supermarket or drugstore),
1 squirt of lemon juice ,
1 cup of warm water
1 spray bottle.

If you don’t want to do without the familiar scent of a cleaner, I recommend simply adding a few drops of essential oil (e.g. eucalyptus, lavender or tea tree). In addition to the pleasant scent, these oils have the further advantage that they have an antibacterial effect.

This is how the “production” of your cleaner for cleaning works without chemicals:

Put the curd soap with the warm water in a small saucepan or bowl.
Mix thoroughly (preferably with a whisk).
Let the mixture cool down a bit.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir again.
Let everything cool down completely and then pour it into the spray bottle.
The natural cleaning pleasure can already begin …

2. How do I get my drain clean?

When cleaning drains that are slightly to moderately clogged, the saying that the oldest home remedies are still the best is once again true! A mixture of baking soda (baking soda works also) and vinegar is ideal for this purpose that is perfect. Sustainable cleaning is also important here. To clean the drain, simply make the cleaning agent yourself:

Pour 4 tablespoons of baking soda or baking powder into the drain to be cleaned.
Then pour half a cup of vinegar afterwards.
It starts to bubble and gush in the drain.
As soon as the noises have subsided, please rinse with plenty of hot water.
In the case of more stubborn, i.e. (almost) complete blockages, you should either remove the pipe or use the suction bell (often also simply called pompel).

3. How do I clean my oven when cleaning without chemicals?

Here, too, I can only warmly recommend the organic miracle cure soda . It is ideal for cleaning dirt and burnt- in items in the oven! For the regular spring cleaning in the oven, it’s very easy:

Mix baking soda powder with water in a 1: 1 ratio in a small bowl.
Then treat the appropriate areas in the oven with a sponge or a pastry brush.
Wait until the mixture has dried again.
Then sweep the powder with a broom and remove the rest with a damp cloth. Complete!
Extra tip from me: Even stubborn stains and incrustations on ceramic hobs can be cleaned gently and without scratches.

4. How do I keep my refrigerator clean and free of odors?

Probably the most useful household appliance can also cause us the most trouble: the refrigerator. It starts with defrosting and ends with removing bad smells and food residues. Remember that any bad smell is a sign of germs in the refrigerator. For cleaning, you can either invest a lot of money in promising “miracle cleaners” or you can trust nature – namely cleaning the refrigerator with vinegar essence .

Simply mix 100 ml of vinegar with 200 ml of water.
Then wipe all surfaces, compartments and joints of the refrigerator with a rag soaked in the mixture.
Then wipe again thoroughly with clear water, done.
A little tip: If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can clean the refrigerator and freezer compartment with lemon water instead: Halve one or two ORGANIC lemons, squeeze out and mix the juice with water at a ratio of 1: 1. Then proceed as described above for cleaning.

If you want to clean your refrigerator even more odorless, how about using just water as an alternative? A versatile steam cleaner does not cost much and, with the appropriate attachment, is also ideal for cleaning the refrigerator without chemical additives.

5. How do I descale my kettle and coffee machine?

Two other devices that can now be found in almost every kitchen should not go unmentioned here, as they do not run continuously like a refrigerator, but should also be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis: kettle and coffee maker. Here, too, you cannot avoid the household miracle products vinegar and lemon when doing natural cleaning . Limescale and deposits, which, depending on the hardness of your tap water , can form in your kettle after just a few uses, can be removed e.g. B. very quickly and easily with a lemon halfto grapple. (After allowing it to take effect, wipe it thoroughly with water, then it is best to fill the kettle and bring the clear water to the boil to remove lemon and loose limescale residues.)

You can also easily clean and decalcify the beloved coffee or pad machine or the fully automatic machine with vinegar essence . I will explain the process to you here using a coffee filter machine as an example. Provide two cups of cold water and one cup of vinegar cleaner and insert an unused paper filter into the machine. This will collect lime and dirt crumbs during descaling. Then put the water first and then the vinegar in the machine. Turn on the machine and let it run until half the amount of liquid added. After doing the first half, turn off the coffee maker for about 20 minutes.

During this time, the vinegar / water mixture acts in the pipes and dissolves dirt and limescale deposits there. After this time, switch the machine on again and let the cleaner run through to the last drop. The cleaning process is complete. Now throw away the dirt mixture in the coffee pot and dispose of the filter bag. Finally, fill the water tank to the maximum and let the machine run through at least twice to remove the vinegar as well as loosened limescale and dirt particles.

6. What can I generally do to avoid unnecessary waste when cleaning?

The topic of cleaning without chemicals also includes avoiding waste . Try to avoid the use of disposable cleaning rags, feather dusters, dusters and kitchen rolls entirely. Use the “good” old cleaning rags instead . An old kitchen towel or old socks will do the job perfectly. Also consider in which cases you can save the electricity for your vacuum cleaner and a hand brush or broom or an easy-to-clean feather duster would not serve the same purpose.

7. How do I keep my cleaning utensils clean?

There is a clear rule for this: Regular washing at 60 degrees stops the growth of germs on the cleaning rags and sponges. In this way you also avoid unnecessary waste and have clean cleaning aids at all times.

8. How can I make dishwashing sponges and cloths myself?

Get creative with cleaning without chemicals! Instead of spending money on dishcloths and sponges or completely overpriced, self-proclaimed “super all-purpose towels” several times a month, grab a crochet hook and innovative special wool ! Easily understandable crochet instructions and explanatory videos are available on the Internet – a little later your new, very individual pot sponge or dishcloth will be ready. And he also looks cheeky and cute …

If you follow a few simple principles and the tips mentioned here for your spring cleaning in the living room, kitchen and bathroom, cleaning will not only be an inexpensive and environmentally friendly, but also a completely satisfactory experience, even without the use of chemical clubs!